NHL Playoff Over/Under Bets On Thursday

The Chicago Blackhawks, choice of many to win the Stanley Cup, are on the brink of going under if they don't get their act together. It will be all over for the Blackhawks without a victory in Game 4 at Nashville, so expect a tight contest.

NHL Playoff Game Odds Comparison

By Bob Duff

Wondering whether to go over or under on your Thursday Stanley Cup wagers? Read on and we will unearth the answer to those questions, based on odds provided by Bovada.lv:

Well, at least the Blackhawks scored goals in Game 3. Not many mind you, but after back-to-back shutouts a couple of pucks past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne is a positive sign to build on going forward. Yes, it’s been that grim for the Blackhawks so far.

Nashville has done a spectacular job of controlling the middle of the ice and keeping Chicago’s skill from operating at its accustomed level. That being said, other than their 5-0 win in Game 2, the Predators haven’t been lighting it up, netting a combined four goals in their other two victories.

Expect that process to continue to play out – a low-chance, tight-checking affair. The Blackhawks are playing for their playoff lives, so they will keep it close to the vest.

The Rangers ended their six-game slide on home ice with a Game 4 triumph over the Habs and now this set swings back to the Bell Centre for a pivotal Game 5 all deadlocked at two wins apiece.

The under on this series for the first four games was five but it’s been dropped to 4.5 for this game because the two teams have combined to go under that total in three of the four games played so far. With Carey Price in Montreal’s net and Henrik Lundqvist protecting the twine at the other end, goals figure to be at even more of a premium as this set gets down to the short straws.

The Rangers scored just twice in each of their two wins so far and remain the only of the 16 playoff teams that’s yet to score on the power play. While fourth liners Tanner Glass and Jester Fast have scored, key top-six forwards Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Mika Zibanejad all still have goose eggs next to them in the goal column.

The Blue Jackets stayed alive with their Game 4 victory on home ice but odds are still stacked against them. Since the 2006 playoffs, only 9.5 per cent of teams have rallied to win a series when trailing the set three games to one.

This is the series that has over bettors salivating. Pittsburgh leads all playoff teams with 16 goals scored, while the Blue Jackets are right behind the Penguins, tied with Anaheim for second spot, having potted 11 goals in four games.

That works out to an average of 6.75 goals per game in this series but in the last two games it’s blossomed to an average of eight goals per game, so when it comes to the Penguins and Blue Jackets, you bet the over – over and over again.

Don’t be fooled by San Jose’s rousing 7-0 rout of the Oilers in Game 4 – that’s the exception and not the rule in this set. In fact, it’s the third game in a row that one of the two teams have been shutout.

Take away Game 4 and the teams have averaged 2.6 goals per game. Deadlocked 2-2 and with so much on the line, anticipate a game more along those lines in Game 5.

It's starting to get real in the bid for NCAA football playoff positions. This Saturday afternoon will see four games pitting teams ranked in the top 25 against one another. Dreams will go up in smoke as the wheat continues to be separated for the chaff in pursuit of a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The last two years, the NFC South has produced that side's Super Bowl representative and there's a very good chance they could make it three in a row this year. The Atlanta Falcons are contenders, the Carolina Panthers are on the rebound, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are up and coming and all of the sudden, the New Orleans Saints are the team to beat.

You think Buffalo Bills fans have had it rough, dealing with an NFL-long playoff drought that extends back to 1999? Well, you might want to talk to Buffalo Sabres fans. The Sabres have told the faithful, to be patient as they build from within, yet the team still hasn't seen the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2011.

The successful history of the Los Angeles Dodgers was written around great pitching, from Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale through Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser, to Clayton Kershaw. But can the Dodgers go toe to toe on the hill with the deep pitching staff of the Houston Astros in the World Series?